


The History Hallway

by PawneeWafflesBen



Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - High School, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-17
Updated: 2017-01-14
Packaged: 2018-08-31 12:39:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8578852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PawneeWafflesBen/pseuds/PawneeWafflesBen
Summary: Ben Wyatt has just accepted a job teaching Math at Pawnee Central High. He's prepared for the hormonal teenagers, the constant complaints about quadratic formulas, and even cranky coworkers. But Ben Wyatt was not prepared for Ms. Leslie Knope: beloved teacher of the History Hallway.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The other night I was thinking about all the different high school AUs and then I realized I've never read one where the AU revolved around 2 teachers. So naturally I decided to write it!  
> I've also posted this on my tumblr: pawneewafflesben  
> Just so y'all know! :) kudos and comments are so very appreciated!

"And remember to spend as much time in the parks this summer as you possibly can! And watching History Channel Documentaries! This weekend PBS is airing a fascinating 18 part documentary on-" And then the bell rang, cutting Leslie off mid ramble as her last class all but trampled over each other running for the door. 

"Okay, well, have fun! Stay safe! Make good choices!!" Leslie knew none of her students were listening. The few that hadn't left the classroom yet we're just signing yearbooks before leaving. 

However, her enthusiasm did not go unnoticed. All through class the teenagers had smiled and laughed at her corny jokes and begrudgingly promised to visit some of Pawnee's parks. After Leslie spent 1 hour of her 90 minute class period talking about Ramsett Park. A few kids had shouted  
"Bye, Ms. Knope!" As they left, others told her to have a good summer.

Greg Pikitis told her he looked forward to having her economics class next year. Leslie forced a smile and stifled a scowl. By contract she had to be nice to Pikitis and treat him with fairness. 

But there was nothing in her counteract that said she wasn't allowed to hate his guts. 

The front runner candidate for next years Senior Class President, Amelia, gave Leslie a small bag of apple shaped cookies. Along with a heartfelt note about how having Leslie as a teacher helped her find her way. Leslie had thanked Amelia and then cried when she left.  
That's why she was a high school teacher.  
To help students like Amelia. 

~~~~~~

Four days after the last day of school Leslie was already bored.  
"Aaaaaaannnn, you don't get it! When the school year is over for you, you go back to working full time at the hospital! I have to spend the entire summer with nothing to do. Aimlessly waiting to start making lesson plans, and formatting lecture slides, and designing projects..." Leslie's voice trailed off as she stared at the ceiling of Ann's house. 

Ann was still half asleep on the other side of the couch, eating her oatmeal and berries like a zombie.  
Leslie didn't fully understand how Ann wasn't awake yet, it was already 7:30 in the morning. By Leslie standards practically half the day was wasted. 

But by Ann standards, they were up way too early to have a functioning conversation. For Ann was a lot of things; an amazing full time nurse at the hospital, an extremely caring and patient part time school nurse at Pawnee Central High, an absolutely perfect best friend... Except Ann was definitely not an early riser. 

"Leslie, I love you, but you should really maybe try to focus on something other than work." Ann lazily pulled Leslie into a hug. "I'm honesty starting to think you might work yourself to death."  
Leslie groaned in protest toward any idea that involved working less especially when she technically wasn't working at all. 

"And you can't die on me Leslie! Who else will I watch Friday Night Lights with, or discuss Sandra Bullocks' skirt length with? No one! The answer is no one!" Leslie smiled as Ann gave her another squeeze. 

A few hours later, after Leslie returned home to start on her "Lesson Plans Idea Binder: Volume 38," Ann sent Leslie a countdown until the first day of school. 

~~~~~~ 

Sixty some days had come and gone and Leslie was finally back in in her classroom for teacher planning week. A gloriously fun filled week of receiving finalized schedules, decorating classrooms, approving lesson plans, catching up with all her coworkers, and of course scheduling at least 14 meetings with the Principal: Chris Traeger. 

"Leslie Knope!" Chris smiled and pointed at her enthusiastically as she entered his office. "You are precisely the exact person that I wanted to see!" 

Leslie forced a smile and took a seat across from Chris. Normally her boss's extreme positivity made her smile, but today she was too angry.  
No. Angry was a complete downplay of her emotions. She was furious, livid, raging. She'd spent all of last weekend trying to get ahold of Chris so he could fix the error on her schedule; and Chris had spent all of last weekend avoiding Leslie's calls and assuring her that her concern was "literally the most important thing to him" and that it would be discussed the very first day of teacher planning week. 

Leslie took a deep breath and cleared her throat, she had to be calm, cool, and collected.  
"You took away my Economics class Chris!!! My Economics! I LOVE that class! I'm the only person in this entire school qualified to teach economics and you just took it away?!" Leslie paused when she felt her face get warm from her angry outburst. She didn't remember standing up from her chair, but now she slowly slunk back down. Trying to regain her composure. 

Then Leslie pulled out a binder from her strangely large purse. "I'm sorry about that Chris. I'm just very passionate about Economics and Social Studies in general. So I made a binder with my various arguments as to why Pawnee Central should continue to offer Economics." Chris picked up the binder with a furrowed brow and his eyes glossed with uncertainty. 

"I made some pretty stellar points in there if I do say so myself-" Leslie was stopped mid gloating by Chris's apologetic and slightly worried voice.  
"I'm afraid there's been a misunderstanding, Ms. Leslie Knope. Pawnee Central is still offering Economics, it's a state graduation requirement." 

Leslie's face lit up like a child on Christmas Day, "Oh! Wonderful! So that will take the place of my planning for 3rd period, I assume?" Chris's frown faltered and was replaced with a look of pity. 

"Pawnee Central is still offering Economics, but we are having a different instructor teach the subject this year." Chris froze momentarily when he saw Leslie's eyes narrow and her face scrunch up. "But don't you worry! Mr. Benjamin Wyatt is literally the most capable man I know. Your economics class is in good hands."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait for an update! I rewrote this chapter like twenty times, flip flopping on which direction I wanted to take... But here it is! It's just some short character back story for Ben, but I hope you guys enjoy it anyway!

Ben moved from Partridge, Minnesota to Indiana for college. The plan was to get away from Partridge for 4 years, maybe 5 if he played his cards right, and then go back to Minnesota to start his teaching career. 

He'd get a job teaching at the same high school he attended. Prove to all the teachers, the administrators, and former students that he was responsible and could handle any leadership role. He'd teach math, probably Calculous, and maybe economics to prove that he could handle numbers like a responsible adult. He'd be everyone's favorite teacher. Maybe he'd even win Teacher of the Year. 

And everyone in town would forget about the small pesky fact that when he was Senior Class President he blew their entire budget on a giant ice rink for the courtyard.   
A giant ice rink in the courtyard in August for the first week of school.   
An ice rink that promptly melted shortly after Ben stood on it.   
He didn't know that high school class presidents could be impeached, but he soon learned. 

Shortly after getting impeached Ben decided he would go to school to become a teacher. He'd prove he was responsible and knew what he was doing, and he'd encourage high schoolers to follow their dreams and prove people wrong. All the while proving his own naysayers wrong. 

But then Ben visited Partridge a week before graduating from university. His car got egged, taunts were shouted at him from across the super market; and when he went back to Partridge High to ask about a job opening they laughed at him.   
"Ice Clown wants to be a teacher? Not gonna happen." 

So Ben went back to Indiana for graduation, and there he stayed. He floated from town to town each school year, taking jobs at different high schools to teach different levels of math and economics and accounting. Sometimes Ben would even sponsor clubs, usually Model UN or Mathletes and that one time he sponsored the board game club. 

None of the school's felt like a good fit, and that meant Ben had to keep moving. Usually the principals solemnly nodded and wished him the best when he handed in his resignation two weeks before school let out. He never really became friends with any of his coworkers, more like acquaintances. 

Except for Chris Traeger. Chris Traeger had been the Vice Principal at a small high school in Bloomington. He was constantly inviting teachers to go running or biking or jogging or meditate with him. Apparently Ben was the first person to ever take him up on that offer. Chris's positive attitude was slightly irking at times, but Ben was just as shocked as anyone when they became friends. 

But the Bloomington school was still awful. 

So Ben resigned. 

Chris cried. 

It was nearly five years after his resignation when Ben got a call from Chris.   
"I know Pawnee is very far away from where you are currently teaching and residing, but Ben Wyatt! I am literally 100% positive that you will absolutely love Pawnee Central High, if you chose to accept the position." 

"I'll take it," Ben didn't have to think twice. The current school he was teaching at didn't even sell calzones in the cafeteria, an obvious career place deal breaker. 

~~~~~~

Raccoons. 

The were raccoons in the school. 

Not outside in the parking lot or in the dumpsters. 

There was an actual hallway with classrooms that was closed off due to a raccoon infestation. 

Ben was starting to have second thoughts. Chris had acted as if Pawnee Central High was the most amazing school he'd ever worked at and from what Ben could see, it was nothing special. 

~~~~~~

"You will be teaching two sections of Calculous 1, one section of Calculous 2, and two sections of Economics." Chris had emailed Ben his schedule about a month ago, but had insisted on overviewing the specifics with him the second he arrived. "And your classroom will be on the second floor, in the math hallway, just bellow the history hallway." 

Ben nodded trying to pay attention to what Chris was saying but couldn't seem to move past the fact that the school was infested by raccoons.   
"Wait, you separate the hallways by subject?" 

Chris grinned, "Yes! Isn't it just exceptional? Ms. Leslie Knope came up with the idea, it makes the school easier to navigate and students are less likely to be tardy!"   
Ben nodded in agreement, exceptional was a bit of a stretch but he couldn't deny the fact that it was a pretty good idea. 

"Who's Leslie Knope?" 

"Leslie Knope is literally one of the best history teachers I have ever worked with. She is hard working, determined, creative, and absolutely loves her job." Chris's grinned widened as he handed Ben his classroom keys and Teacher ID, "You will be co-sponsoring Model UN with her, and Ben Wyatt, I can just tell you two will become the dream team." 

Ben furrowed his brow in a confused pout. He had to share Model UN? That was not exactly the best outcome, but it would be okay. 

Just as long as this Leslie Knope wasn't a total pain in the ass.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long to post this chapter! I hope you guys Like monstrous chapters though, because this one is WAY longer than the other two.

Leslie was positive that the world was coming to an end when she left Chris's office.   
It was bad enough that she had to give up her economics classes and share sponsorship of Model U.N., but give up her classes to a math teacher? Leslie was 100% certain that that was a sign the world was crashing and burning at her feet. 

How was a math teacher supposed to teach economics? Or sponsor a traditionally history oriented club? They couldn't! It was physically impossible. Math teachers were just boring numbers robots anyway, and robots were not meant for this sort of thing. 

On any regular teacher planning day Leslie would've returned to her classroom to put the finishing touches on her lesson plans and bulletin boards.   
But today was the Pawnee Central High equivalent of Armageddon.   
So Leslie decided to sit with Ann in the nurses office until the work day was over. 

~~~~~~

"Maybe he won't be terrible at it? Come on Leslie you're always there for new teachers! Don't doubt this guy before you've even met him..." Ann gave Leslie a reassuring and optimistic smile from across her desk. Leslie had ranted and yelled and groaned with frustration for the past hour and a half about Ben Wyatt. An entire 90 minutes of infuriated shouting about a man she had never met. 

Ann loved her best friend more than anything, but she knew sometimes Leslie could be a tad dramatic. 

Leslie's eyes widened and eyebrows shot up in shock and slight betrayal, "Ann!! You can't side with him! He's the enemy!" 

Ann crossed her arms and cocked her head to the side, giving Leslie that look that made her rethink her recent life decisions 90% of the time. "Leslie, how would you have felt if when you started here no one believed in you? Doubted all your abilities? Tried to stop you from teaching? You would've been devastated!" 

Leslie blinked at Ann incredulously, "But, that did happen. That was my exact situation. My first year Teaching here." 

"Oh...really?" Ann couldn't hide her frown at the thought of Leslie being doubted. She was, without a doubt, the best teacher Pawnee Central High had ever hired; and to think that she had started her career with constant disapproval? It was shocking. 

Leslie shrugged at the thought of her first year teaching, as If the memories no longer had a negative effect on her emotions.   
"Well when I first started Ron was the history department head. He taught U.S. History and Geography and we had vastly different teaching methods." Leslie's eyes widened, recalling the various times she had stormed into Ron's classroom and bickered with him (which consisted mostly of Leslie fuming and Ron saying "are you done, woman?" When she finished ranting).   
"So we were always arguing about the well being of the students, Parent-teacher conferences, club sponsorship, and academic core values, you know all that good stuff." 

Ann nodded and tried to cover up any signs that she really had no idea what Leslie was saying. 

"Oh!" Leslie jumped out of her chair at the sudden thought, "When I started here we still had Principal Milton! Remember him Ann? The really old racist and sexist guy? He thought I was crazy for wearing pants in his presence?" Leslie laughed about it now, but Ann vaguely remembered the raging ball of fury Leslie became the day Milton criticized her pant suit. 

"So yeah," Leslie shrugged and began gathering her bags and idea binders, "Between Milton, and Ron and I arguing non stop, that year was... Interesting. They wouldn't even let me start up Model UN club until my second year!" 

Ann opened her mouth as if to say "my point exactly."   
But Leslie stopped her, "But! The point is I had to spend an entire year like that. I paid my dues. Benjamin Wyatt can't just walk into Pawnee Central High and expect to get special treatment that took me a year to receive! It's not fair or equal. So-"   
Ann sighed and let her face fall into a box of Band-Aids, "Leslie, I don't know what your about to do, but I'm pretty sure it's not a good-" 

Leslie cut Ann off with a bone crushing hug, "Ann, you are an amazing unstoppable Wonder Woman level nurse of justice and equality. I wouldn't have this plan without you. Love you, bye!"

And with that Leslie was running out of Ann's office and up to the third floor history Hallway. 

She had some emails to write. 

~~~~~~

Fourteen emails. 

In the span of one afternoon Ben opened his inbox to find fourteen unread emails from Ms. Leslie Knope. 

By the time he got back to his apartment the email total had reached twenty five. 

Twenty five very long and very detailed emails from a woman he had yet to meet. With subjects ranging from "Leslie Knope's Beginner's Guide to Teaching Economics" to "Dealing With Pikitis and Rabid Raccoons."   
Each email ended with the same few lines. 

_"I would greatly appreciate it if you would meet with me tomorrow morning, or afternoon, to further discuss your qualifications and your future here at Pawnee High._  
I'm always in my classroom by 5:30AM until 4:30PM.   
Let me know what time works for you, as soon as possible!  
-Leslie Knope   
History Department Head  
History Teacher  
Model United Nations Sponsor  
Senior Class Sponsor  
Pawnee Central High School" 

Ben couldn't help but stare at his inbox in shock. By the time he had finished reading all twenty five of the lengthy emails another twelve had appeared. 

5:30AM.   
The first bell didn't ring until 7:30, and Leslie Knope showed up at _5:30AM_ and stayed there three hours after all the kids had been dismissed. 

Ben blinked at his laptop screen, dumbfounded. The only logical explanation was that this woman was at least slightly off her rocker. No sane person would email a coworker thirty seven times in one day and repeatedly ask for a meeting with them.   
All while teaching, sponsoring two clubs, leading the history department, and coming in early and staying late. 

Only a ninja crossed with a Jedi could do all this and still be viewed as "literally the best history teacher" by Chris. If he was being honest Ben was a little impressed. 

But that didn't change the fact that he was being bombarded with annoying emails that addressed him as if he was a first year teacher. Ben groaned when his inbox alerted him of three new unread emails. 

He scowled as he typed out a reply, this was getting out of hand, and Ben couldn't spend the rest of teacher planning week reading "Leslie Knope's 143 Step Guide to Sponsorship Success." 

Ben typed to Leslie as if he was dealing with a difficult student, leaving the message short and to the point. Purposeful and direct. 

_"Ms. Knope,_  
I appreciate the advice you have provided in your 40+ emails; however, I am capable of handling these courses.   
I am qualified and passionate about teaching. This is not my first year as a teacher, and though you're very generous, I won't be meeting with you this week to discuss my position at this school. 

_I look forward to seeing you at the first meeting for the Model U.N._

_-Ben Wyatt_  
Pawnee Central High School  
Math and Economics Teacher  
Model U.N. Co-Sponsor" 

Ben smiled with pride as he hit send. 

~~~~~~

Leslie had fumed for nearly an hour after receiving Ben Wyatt's response. She rolled her eyes at every word. "Capable," "Passionate," "Qualified," Leslie wanted to gag.   
Qualified and capable people that are passionate about what they do don't just fall from the sky and steal Economics classes. Nope, the certainly do not. 

And they definitely do not refuse help and a warm welcome when they obviously are in desperate need of exactly that. So Leslie decided, as she angrily shoveled JJ's waffles' into her mouth, that she would give Benjamin Wyatt exactly that.   
A warm Pawneean Welcome. 

~~~~~~

Ben arrived at Pawnee Central High at 6:30, coffee in hand and trying desperately not to think about the aggravation that was Leslie Knope. Most teachers didn't show up before seven, especially during teacher planning week. Ben had even overheard one of science teachers say, "if the students aren't here than neither am I." 

But Ben enjoyed the solitude. He could work on lesson plans and project ideas without any interruptions or distractions. Just complete relaxing silence and-

"Benjamin Wyatt!"   
Ben tried not to visibly cringe at the very loud and very angry voice walking into his classroom. It was too early for extreme social contact, and whoever had just entered his classroom sounded like they didn't care that the sun had barely just come up. Against every sensible thought in his mind, Ben turned and was greeted by sparkling blue eyes and soft blonde curls that definitely did not make his stomach flip flop. 

"I'm Leslie Knope from the History Hallway. I noticed you were here and I thought now would be a good time to discuss your lesson plans?" Leslie smiled as if she wasn't doing the exact opposite of what Ben had asked in his email. Leslie hardly gave Ben any time to decline her offer as she had already pulled a chair to the other side of Ben's desk and began piling various binders in front of him. 

"Like I said in my seventh email, the income and value added approach to calculating the GDP are useful, but we really focus more on expenditure-" Leslie flipped through a binder labeled "Teaching Economics for Beginners: Volume 17" as she spoke. Every word that left her mouth was filled with enthusiasm; as if discussing the Pawnee Central High's Economics curriculum was the most interesting and exciting part of her day. 

"Ms. Knope-"

"But! You shouldn't spend too much time on GDP, the supply and demand curves are very important and you would be amazed at how long it takes for students to grasp shifting-" 

Ben cleared his throat and tried again a little louder, "Ms. Knope." 

"Oh! And we can't forget about the end of the first semester project. The students apply what they've learned to an imaginary-"

"Ms. Knope!" It came out as more of a shout then a polite interjection. Ben didn't even realize he had banged the table in frustration until he met Leslie's eyes and saw her startled expression. 

"Is everything alright Benjamin?" 

"It's Ben. And I'm pretty sure I emailed you last night about..." Ben gestured towards the binders, "all this. I've taught this class before. I really don't need any help-" 

Leslie waved off his protest as if Ben was talking crazy, "But you've never taught this class here! I taught this class for almost ten years and trust me, I know exactly how to handle everything. You just need a little guidance-" 

"Ms. Knope, I'm more than qualified to teach a high school level economics class. It's just another class, it's not special. I don't need your emails and your binders and your guidance. It's unnecessary and frankly, it's exhausting." Ben hadn't registered the acidity of his tone until he stopped talking. 

But once he stopped talking he saw Leslie's face. At first she looked as if she'd just been slapped, but then after a moment her face went from pained to shocked.

And Ben had never felt more guilty in his entire life. 

Guilt wasn't some foreign feeling to Ben, but he was always honest in the classroom. Honest and blunt. He'd never felt guilty when telling Parents that he couldn't raise their child's grade because said child hadn't worked all year. He always left meetings with his coworkers and administrators with a clear conscious because he was just being honest and people appreciated that. 

Leslie Knope, judging by her expression, did not. 

Before Ben could even say anything to her, Leslie was packing up. Grabbing her binders off of his desk and throwing them into her bizarrely large purse. 

Ben thought maybe this was the end of her constant stream of speaking. That she'd angrily pick up her binders and walk out. Without so much of a goodbye. 

Instead, Leslie packed up her binders, moved her chair back, walked towards the front door... And snapped. 

"You're a jerk." Leslie whipped around right before turning the door knob, glaring at him as if her eyes were baring into Ben's soul. "That class _is_ special. This entire school is special and full of amazing kids who are going to do amazing things when they graduate. And if you can't see that a single class is special and impacts a students life then-" Leslie shook her head, almost as if she was taking back what she was thinking. "You're just being a major jerk." 

She slammed the door when she left.


End file.
